Endless-track vehicle



Dec. 30, 1930. A, KEGRESSE 1,786,430

ENDLESS TRACK VEHI CLE Filed April 13, 1928 c: um ulm Patented Esc. 39,1939 sara ADOLPHE KGR'ESSE, OF SURESNES, FRANCE ENDLESSTRA CK VEHICLEApplication filed April 13, 1928, Serial No. 269,780, and in FranceApril 15, 1927.

In vehicles of the endless track belt type, it has heretofore been usualto employ spindles for pivotally connecting the roller-carrying membersot' the train that bear on the lower 5 stretch of the belt; and it hasalso beenusual to employ for the saine purpose trunnions that aredisposed centrally or' the train between the rollers. The iirst oi thesetwo arrangements, however, requires a considerable lo spacing of therollers in order to enable the passage of the floating axle or spindletherebetween; while the second arrangement, although it permits therollers to be positioned closer together than the irst one, necessitatesan outward slanting of the rollers with relation to the longitudinalvertical plane of the bearing train which involves complicated andexpensive assembling and fitting up.

rlChe object of my invention is to provide 2e improved articulating orconnecting devices for the component parts of the bearing train whichwill eliminate the above-mentioned disadvantages. y

ln the accompanying drawing:

Figure l is a view in side elevation showing the invention installed;

Fig. 2 is a section through the floating trunnions of one of thesecondary rocking beams;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section through 30 the supporting axle; and

Fig. 4 is a modification of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, l indicates the supportingor carrier axle, connected in some suitable manner (not shown) with thechassis of the vehicle; the latter, will be apparent, being of theendless ilexible track belt type. The axle, as is customary, carries ther ller train which bears on the lower stretch ofthe track belt 49 andwhich, in the construction illustrated, embodies front and rear groupsof double rollers 9 disposed at opposite `sides of axle l,

each group itself comprising two rollers, one in front of the other.,connected to and carried by auxiliary rocking vbeams 8. as hereinafterdescribed. lt is to be understood, of course, that there is a track beltat each side of the vehicle, and that each belt has a roller trainassociated with it.

To eachend of axle l is secured a sleevelike element 11 provided with apair of spaced, depending cheeks 2 and 3; said sleeve, as a matter offact, being made in two parts which are arranged end to end in abuttingrelation, and each of which carries one of the cheeks at its outer end,as shown in Fig. 3. The sleeve is designed to support the main rockingbeam 6, which is of inverted troughshape in cross-section (Figs. 2%) soas to span and lit over the two central rollers of the train; said beamand cheeks having a central pivotal connection to permit the requiredrocking movement of the beam.

In the construction illustrated, this connection embodies a pair oflaterally-projecting, annular trunnions 5 which iit rotatably in annularbearings 4l; the bearings being here shown as formed on or in the cheeks2 and 3, while the trunnions 5 are provided on plates l2 secured to theside members of the beam 6, though such arrangement may, of course, bereversed; The beamis of convex or bow-shaped formation with its oppositeend portions curved downward and terminating between the rollers of therespective Jfront and rear pairs (Fig. l); and the aforesaid beam endsare joined to the central portions of the previously-mentioned auxiliarybeams 8 by pivotal connections similar to that be tween the cheekmembers of the sleeve and the main beam 6, the trunnions 7 thereofbeing, in this instance, formed on plates 13 secured to the sides ofbeam 6, while the bearings 14: are provided on or in the adjacent beams8, which latter are flat instead ofHY trough-shaped in section. Thisarrangement likewise may be reversed, with the trunnions provided on theauxiliary beams and the bearings on or in the plates 18. Balls or otheranti-friction elements l5 may be interposed between the trunnions 7 andbearings 14, as indicated in Fig. Ll.

As will be understood from the foregoing, the mounting above describedenables the rollers to be set very close to one another.7 owing to thefact that the use of spindles pivotally connecting the main andauxiliary beams and passing between the rollers is entirely eliminated,the connections being effooted solely by the interfitting trunnions andbearings which are themselves extremely short or shallow. Thiselimination of spindles is a matter of importance, because the spindles:frequently canse the rollers to be- "5`come jammed, dne to the entranceand lodging of foreign bodies into the space between the rollers andtheir fixed spindles. The pivotal connections of the train, moreover,are symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis ot the system, andthe shape of the main beam (5 is such as to render it extremely rigi dand strong. Needless to say, the construction illustrated is notintended to be strictly limitative, as the invention is clearlysusceptible of modificatione and changes Within its scope as claimed.

`Having thus d scribed my invention` I claim:

A bearing train for endless flexible track belts, comprising; asupporti. axle a sleeve fitted on and secured to said axle and providedwith a pair ot' spaced depending cheeks, ay main rocking beam having`doWn-trn'ned end portions;7 the central portion of the beam beingdisposed between and pivotdly connected to said cheeks, and bearingrollers conneeted twoandtwo to said beam ends, the pirotal connectionbetween the cheeks' and the central portion of the beam consisting et apair of short trlinnions provided on one oit the two connected elements,and shallow bearings provided on the other element to receive thetrunnions therein but free ot' axial connection between said trnnnions.

3:; In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my inif'ention I havesigned my name.

ADOLPHE KGRESSE.

